Trending Now - NATO Allies Accelerate Development of Anti-drone Systems

WHO:

President Trump

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk

Radoslaw Piesiewicz, co-founder of Polish radar manufacturer Advanced Protection Systems (APS)

Robert Tollast, research fellow in land warfare at the British military think tank RUSI

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

NATO allies, including Poland and Germany

Pieter Wezeman, senior arms researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

WHAT:

NATO allies are accelerating the development of anti-drone systems.

Poland is developing "one of the most capable and dense counter-drone systems in the world."

The new Polish anti-drone program, SAN, will be "the largest counter-UAS [Unmanned Aircraft System] system in Europe."

SAN will consist of a mobile fleet of about 700 vehicles and 50 to 60 platoons, each with 30 to 50 service members.

APS is collaborating with Poland's state-controlled defense group PGZ and Norwegian defense company Kongsberg to build the SAN system.

The SAN system will incorporate radar, cameras, and radio frequency sensors to detect enemy drones.

WHERE:

Poland

Ukraine

London, United Kingdom

Middle East, specifically mentioning Iran and its regional proxy groups

WHEN:

The articles were published on March 19th, 2026.

The Polish anti-drone program was announced in January 2026.

WHY:

The war in Iran has highlighted the threat posed by drones to human life and infrastructure.

There is a perceived unreadiness among U.S. and NATO allies to counter drone threats.

The ongoing war in Ukraine has forced NATO allies to adapt and develop anti-drone capabilities.

HOW:

The SAN system will use advanced radar technology to detect small, low-flying drones.

The system will employ jammers and weapons of different calibers to disable or destroy detected drones.

APS' technology has been battlefield tested in Ukraine, enhancing its effectiveness in counter-drone operations.

(UPDATED March 19, 2026 21:13 UTC)

NATO allies, including President Trump, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are accelerating the development of advanced anti-drone systems, with Poland leading the charge on a new program called SAN. This initiative aims to create one of the largest counter-drone systems in Europe, featuring a mobile fleet of around 700 vehicles and employing sophisticated radar, cameras, and radio frequency sensors to detect enemy drones. The urgency for such capabilities has been underscored by the ongoing war in Iran and the conflict in Ukraine, which have revealed vulnerabilities in current defenses against drone threats.